Introduction Water chestnut is a vine and is planted in ponds. Water chestnuts grow in its vine which is inside the water. Water chestnut contains more iodine. Its use is beneficial in throat diseases and tonsils. The vine of water chestnut floats in the fresh water of ponds like water hyacinth. Its vine is long, its leaves have three corners like bitter gourd leaves. Water chestnut is triangular and has thorns on it. The peel of water chestnut is strong and hard. Water chestnut contains 22 percent more mineral alkali than milk. Water chestnut is very nutritious. Its consumption gives strength to the body and increases blood. Water chestnut is red and slightly black and its pulp is white in color. It is also dried and flour is also made. Vegetables are also made from water chestnut. It is also used to add to nutritious foods. Consuming it in large quantities provides sufficient nutrition to the body and the body receives all the elements. Consuming water chestnuts increases flesh in the body. Properties Water chestnuts are cold, sweet, heavy and astringent. It cleans the stool, removes the defects of bile and blood. It increases semen, creates air (gas) and produces phlegm. Water chestnuts have the power to strengthen the womb. The juice of water chestnuts is cold, heavy, increases semen, is nutritious and digestive. It removes Vata, bile, phlegm, burning sensation, hematemesis, fever and anguish etc. Consumption of water chestnuts strengthens the penis. The juice of the water chestnut vine removes burning sensation and removes eye diseases. Treatment for various diseases 1. Ringworm, scabies, itching: Grate dry water chestnut in lemon juice and apply it on ringworm daily. It causes burning sensation first and then a feeling of coolness is felt. Using it continuously for a few days cures ringworm. Grind water chestnut, root of singhi, howber and root of bhringari and mix it in water and drink it to cure ringworm, scabies and itching. Take water chestnut, root of bhringi, jhoober and root of bhringari in the amount of 10-10 grams and grind it and then add 10 grams of the mixture to it and boil it with a cup of water. When the water boils down to half, filter it and drink it. Consuming it daily for 7-8 days cures skin itching. 2. Leucorrhoea: Making pudding of water chestnut flour and eating it cures leucorrhoea and eating roti made of water chestnut flour cures menorrhagia. By making powder of dried water chestnut and consuming 3-3 grams of it with honey every morning and evening, all types of leucorrhoea are cured. Grind 25 grams of water chestnut, 10 grams of golden ochre and 25 grams of sugar candy together and consume 5 grams of it every morning and evening. This provides relief in leucorrhoea. By extracting juice of water chestnut and consuming it in the morning and evening, leucorrhoea is cured. 3. Weakness of uterus: If pregnancy does not occur due to weakness of uterus, then after conception, fresh water chestnut should be consumed every day for a few weeks. A pregnant woman should take water chestnut porridge with milk 2-3 times a day. This stops bleeding and does not cause abortion. 4. Urinary incontinence: By making decoction of water chestnut and consuming it, urinary incontinence (difficulty in urination) is cured. 5. Swelling: Pain and swelling ends by rubbing the bark of water chestnut. 6. Impotence: Impotence ends in a few weeks by grinding dry water chestnut and making halwa with ghee and sugar. 7. Urine blockage: Mix 20 grams of tal mishri, 15 grams of ghee and 30 grams of water chestnut and eat it with cold water every morning and evening. 8. Protection of pregnancy in the seventh month: Mix water chestnut, lotus root, raisins, liquorice, kaseru and sugar and grind it and consume it by mixing it with milk. This protects pregnancy in the seventh month. It removes pain in vagina. 9. Urine leakage while sleeping: Mix ground dry water chestnut and sugar in the quantity of about 25-25 grams and keep it. Then consuming 1-2 grams of the mixture with water in the morning and evening cures urination while sleeping at night. 10. Lack of semen: Mixing acacia gum, deshi ghee and sugar candy in water chestnut flour and taking it with hot milk in the amount of about 30 grams cures the lack of semen. 11. Nosebleed: People who suffer from nosebleed (nose bleeding) should eat raw water chestnuts after the rainy season. 12. Leprosy: Make powder of water chestnut, root of Kakadsingi, Hauber and root of Bhangi in equal quantity. Drinking this powder in the amount of 3 to 4 grams daily cures leprosy. 13. Elephantiasis: Make a decoction of water chestnut and mix it with cow's urine and drink it to cure the swelling of elephantiasis. 14. Weakness: A weak person should eat pudding made of water chestnut flour every day. This increases physical strength. 15. Enlargement of tonsils: If there is tonsil in the throat, boil water chestnut in water and gargle with this water every day. This removes the swelling of tonsils. 16. Lump in the throat: Water chestnut contains a lot of iodine, eating which cures the lump in the throat and also cures other diseases of the throat like goiter, inflammation of the palate, stammering etc.
